Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Myanmar’s military junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, pressing for fair and inclusive elections in the crisis-torn nation. Modi emphasized India’s support for a “Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned peace process,” urging the junta to ensure that upcoming polls involve all stakeholders and are conducted transparently. The meeting, part of India’s strategic engagement with its eastern neighbor, underscored New Delhi’s commitment to fostering stability in Myanmar amid ongoing violence and political turmoil.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted that Modi advocated for peaceful dialogue as the only path forward, reinforcing India’s stance on a democratic resolution to Myanmar’s unrest, which has persisted since the military coup on February 1, 2021. The coup, which ousted the elected government, sparked widespread protests and armed resistance, with opposition forces seizing key border trading points along Myanmar’s frontiers with India, China, and Bangladesh. Modi’s call for inclusive elections comes as Myanmar’s junta faces international pressure to restore democracy, with the country’s 1,640-kilometer border with India’s militancy-hit northeastern states, including Nagaland and Manipur, adding urgency to regional stability.
During the talks, Modi and Hlaing reviewed bilateral ties, focusing on development partnerships, defense, security, border management, and trade. Modi stressed the importance of advancing connectivity projects, such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, to boost people-to-people interactions and economic cooperation. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that discussions also covered security concerns along the shared border, where insurgent activities and refugee flows have strained relations. India’s “Neighbourhood First,” “Act East,” and “Indo-Pacific” policies frame its engagement with Myanmar, a critical partner in countering regional security challenges and China’s growing influence.
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Myanmar’s ongoing conflict has disrupted cross-border trade and displaced thousands, complicating India’s efforts to maintain stability in its northeast. The junta’s promise of elections has been met with skepticism, given its crackdown on dissent and the resistance’s control over significant border areas. Modi’s appeal for a fair electoral process reflects India’s delicate balancing act—supporting democracy while maintaining diplomatic ties with the junta to safeguard strategic interests, including countering militancy and securing energy projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.
The SCO Summit provided a platform for Modi to reaffirm India’s role as a regional stabilizer, with Myanmar’s crisis high on the agenda. As resistance forces challenge the junta’s grip, India’s push for dialogue and inclusive elections signals a broader strategy to mitigate spillover effects on its borders and promote long-term peace. The Modi-Hlaing meeting, though brief, underscores the high stakes of Myanmar’s political trajectory for India and the region, with the outcome of the promised elections likely to shape bilateral ties in the years ahead.
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